Bosses to spend £48,000 on solar panels for Doncaster Council building

Doncaster Council are to spend thousands of pounds on solar panels to combat increasing energy prices.
Solar panels will be installed at the North Bridge depotSolar panels will be installed at the North Bridge depot
Solar panels will be installed at the North Bridge depot

Doncaster Council are to spend thousands of pounds on solar panels to combat increasing energy prices.

The authority wants to install the panels on top of their Mower Shed building at the North Bridge Depot by borrowing £48,000 to fund the project.

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Bosses are hopeful the in-house installation will save the council around £3,600 a year and increase their green credentials.

The non-commodity element of energy costs, which accounts for around 60 per cent of the total fee, has risen by 15 per cent each year for the past two years - something the council has no control over.

Richard Smith, an officer working within the regeneration and environment team, said: “This £48k bid will help protect the Council’s revenue budget from increases in energy prices by installing Solar Photovoltaic panels.

“The scheme is estimated to make £12k surplus after scheme and borrowing costs, with greater benefits relating to cost avoidance and being more energy self-sufficient.

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“If energy costs increase by five per cent over the next twenty years, this could cost the council an extra £55k. If energy costs were to increase by eight per cent, this could cost the council an extra £103k. The proposed installation will therefore help the council avoid the impact of these likely increases.

“Once the panels have been installed they will generate electricity straight away and will last at least twenty years with minimal maintenance costs. The buildings will use all of the electricity generated and so there will be little surplus to sell back to the National Grid.”